It may come as a surprise to many, but honey bees are not native to North America. They were imported from Europe during colonial times. But there are literally thousands of other species which are indigenous to these shores…

Paige Embry is a Duke grad and author of Our Native Bees: North America’s Endangered Pollinators and the Fight to Save Them. Embry has worked as an environmental consultant, taught horticulture and geology classes, and run a garden design and coaching business. She has written articles for Horticulture, The American Gardener, and other magazines.

As for the honey bees, those Europeans transplants are having a tough time. Their problems are well documented…

Embry says at least one initiative is being taken to preserve the honey bee population…

That’s a macro approach. But Embry says that individuals can make a difference too…

These endangered pollinators are critical to many crops, and the studies on how to protect them continue.